Odometer



Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

Our invention relates to registering devices, and has among its objectsand advantages the provision of an improved odometer. Our inventionembodies improvements on a structure such as that shown in our UnitedStates Patent 2,020,225 issued November 5, 1935.

An object of our invention is to provide an odometer of a simple andcompact contruction,

one in which the number wheels and actuating elements associated withthe wheels are interchangeable.

A further object is to provide an arrangement in which the number wheelsare closely spaced and in which the greater part of the actuatingmechanism associated with the wheels is housed within the contourthereof.

A further object is to provide a resetting mechanism which is efiicientin operation and which functions to permit quick and easy resetting ofthe number Wheels.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a fragmentary view of a conventional speedometer showing ourinvention incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview of the gear illustrated in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of one of the number wheels and some ofits associated operating parts in separated relation; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the same wheel showing other partsassociated therewith in separated relation.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate our invention, we make use of aconventional speedometer 10 having a sight opening [2 through which theusual total register I4 may be read. The speedometer is provided with asecond sight opening I6 through which the trip register l8 may be read.The two registers are operatively connected for totalling purposes, butthe trip register [8 may be reset without changing the reading of thetotal register l4.

The trip register comprises a support 28 including a flange 22 which isbored at 24 to provide a bearing for one end of a shaft 26. The oppositeend of the shaft is rotatably positioned within an opening 28 in a wall30. We mount the support 20 and the wall 30 within the speedometerhousing 32.

Units, tens, hundreds, and thousands wheels 34, 36, 38, and 39,respectively, are rotatably mounted on the shaft 26. Upon theperipheries of the wheels 34, 36, 38, and 39 we provide numerals 40which read from zero to nine, inclusive, upon each wheel. In Fig. 2, theperipheries of the wheels are mounted in close relation with the sightopening [6 for reading purposes.

The units wheel 34 is advanced one step per numeral each tenth of a miletraveled so that it registers tenths of a mile, while the tens,hundreds, and thousands wheel 36, 38, and 39 indicate miles.

Gears 42, 44, 46, and 47 are respectively associated with the wheels 34,36, 38, and 39 and are separated from their respective wheels by thinwashers 48. All the gears 42 to 41 are identical in construction, whichis also true of the washers 48.

In Fig. '7, we illustrate the washer 48 associated with the gear 42 asbeing provided with openings 50 for the reception of lugs 52 carried bythe gear 42 for connecting the two parts into a unitary whole. Theselugs are formed by pressing small areas of the gears out of the normalplane of the gears. The washers 48 are loosely mounted on the shaft 26.

The units wheel 34, of Fig. 7, is provided with a plurality of recesses54, each of which comprises an abutment 56 and an inclined plane 58. Onesuch recess is provided for each numeral 48 upon that wheel. The wheels36, 38, and 39 are similarly formed.

According to Fig. '7, the highest points 60 of the inclined planes 58terminate short of the face 62 of the wheel 34 so that the washer 48lies within the contour of the wheel 34 with the gear 42 lying incontact with the surface 62. Such an arrangement provides a compactrelation between the nested parts which permits the wheels 34, 36, 38,and 39 to be closely spaced.

In Fig. 7, the washer 48 is of resilient material and is out along lines64 and 66 to provide resilient latch fingers 68 which are bent out ofthe normal plane of the washer for latching relation with the abutments56. Both fingers 68 project in the same direction so that the wheels 34,36, 38, and 39 may be rotated relatively to the washers 48 and the gears42, 44, 46, and 41 for resetting. The fingers 68 are bent suflicientlyfar out of the plane of the washer 48 to have pressure relation with theinclined planes 58, thus insuring abutting relation between the ends ofthe fingers and the abutments 56.

Fig. 8 illustrates the opposite side of the wheel M. This side isgrooved at if? to provide a ledge (12. A hub 'l l extends beyond thewheel surface it and includes a rib l3 terminating in spaced gear teeth3K). The recess 82 between the two teeth 86 extends into the wheel 3% adistance equal to the depth of the ledge '52.

A latch washer 85 is positioned adjacent the hub M of each of the wheels34, 38, and 39. In Fig. 8, the washer 8 includes a key 83 which isarranged to lie within the keyway S3 in the shaft 25. Each latch washer3 includes a finger 98 bent out of the normal plane of the washer so asto have abutting relation with the rib it when the shaft 26 is rotatedin its resetting direction. The direction of the fingers bit is such asto permit the wheels 36, 38, and 39 to rotate in the counting directionwithout interference from the fingers.

A shaft 92 is carried by the flange 22 and the wall 38, which shaftrotatably supports three pinions 34%. Each pinion 9 3 includesalternately spaced wide teeth 96 and narrow teeth 98. The pinions 9 3are associated with the gears M, 36, and ll. The wide teeth of thepinion S l associated with the gear have sufficient width to mesh withthe teeth of the gear and the teeth 80 on the wheel t l. Similarly, thewide teeth of the pinion 9K. associated with the gear 3 may mesh withthe teeth thereon as well as the teeth 80 associated with the wheel 36.The narrow teeth 93 on the pinion 9 t associated with the gear 14terminate short of the face l5 on the wheel 3 3, while the narrow teeth98 of the pinion associated with the gear 36 terminate short of the faceit on the wheel 36. This is also true of the pinion G l associated withthe gear ti and the wheel 38.

In operation, the gear is driven by a gear are driven by a power shaftGear ltil also operates the total register The shaft N32 is operated byany suitable means, not shown, which means form no part of theinvention. In operation, the gear lfiil is rotated in a clockwisedirection when viewing Fig. 2. Such rotation will turn the wheel in acounterclockwise direction when viewing Fig. 2 because of the abuttingrelation between the fingers 68 and the abutments 56. The wheel 34rotates constantly while the gear we is moving, but the wheels 36 and 38are rotated intermittently. As the wheel completes its revolution, oneof the wide teeth Qt will drop into the notch 82 between the teeth 8G.The following tooth Ziil will then cause a one-step rotation of thetransfer pinion and the narrow teeth til, which are in continuous meshwith the gear i t, cause rotation of that gear and through the washer l8effects rotation of the higher order wheel 3%. At other times, two wideteeth 9% ride on the ledge '52 upon the wheel 34, which preventsrotation of the pinion 9d associated with the gear M- except duringcompletion of the travel of the wheel S l for advancing the wheel 36another step. The pinion 96 associated with the gear Mi advances thewheel 38 one step for each revolution of the whee1 in the same manner asthe wheel B l advances the wheel Wheel 39 is advanced one step for eachrevolution of the wheel 38.

To reset the wheels and 39 to their zero position, the shaft is rotatedin a counterclockwise direction when viewing Fig. 2. A resetting shaftltd is rotatably carried by flanges H96 on the support 218, which shaftincludes a knob 18 to facilitate turning of the shaft. A gear HE) isfixedly connected with the shaft I04 and is arranged in mesh with asmaller gear [i2 fixedly connected with the shaft 2%. Counterclockwiserotation of the shaft 26 when viewing Fig. 2 causes the fingers 9i? tomove into abutting relation with the ribs 58 to rotate the wheels 34,36, 88, and 3? with the shaft after such engagement has beenestablished. When the wheels 3d, 36, SB, and 39 are rotated in theregistering direction, the ribs it pass freely over the fingers 953 sothat the wheels may be rotated independently of the shaft. The ribs E8on the four numeral wheels are so arranged that when all the wheels havebeen engaged by the fingers 90, the Zeros on the wheels will be aligned.

Gear 1! it carries a resilient finger l M which has its free end Hi6shaped to press into the recess M8 for yieldingly latching the shaft EMin the Zero position of the numeral wheels. The opposite end of thespring finger M4 is riveted to the gear i it at lZi'i. The ribs '58 maybe provided with inclined planes l22, which provide a gentle climbingsurface for the fingers 90 during rotation of the wheels 35, 3t, 33, and39 in their counting directions. The ribs it are depressed slightly atE23 to provide space for the fingers 5% (see Fig. 8).

Our device embodies a simple construction, one in which the parts arecompactly arranged. The wheels 58, and 359 house the washers 48. All thewheels and the washers are interchangeable. In resetting the wheels,quick action is attained by merely turning the shaft lii l. While wehave illustrated the invention as being associ ated with an odometer, itwill be understood that the registering device may be employed in otherarts. The arrangement is such that the numeral wheels 36, 3S, and may beadjusted to their zero position without rotating the gear lEiil so thatthe trip register it may be reset without interfering with the totalregister M. We ratio the gears iiiti and l 112 so that one complete turnof the shaft lil i will impart two complete turns to the shaft 28, whichinsures at least a complete revolution of each of the number wheels soas to bring them back to their zero positions.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain ourinvention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adaptthe same for use under various conditions of service.

We claim:

1. In an odometer, a support, a rotatable shaft carried by said support,a pair of numeral wheels of lower and higher order, respectively,rotatably mounted on said rotatable shaft, a gear for one of the numeralwheels loosely mounted on said rotatable shaft, the side of the higherorder numeral wheel adjacent its respective gear being recessed andprovided with notches, a thin washer positioned between the gear and itsrespective numeral wheel and keyed to that gear, said thin washer havinga resilient finger cooperating with the notches of its respectivenumeral wheel for turning the same, the opposite face of said higherorder numeral wheel being provided with an abutment, a thin washer lyingagainst said other face of the higher order numeral wheel and keyed tosaid rotatable shaft, the last-named washer having a resilient fingercooperating with said abutment for turning the numeral wheel to zeroposition when the rotatable shaft is rotated in a predetermineddirection, said abutment being depressed to provide accommodation forsaid re- 7 silient finger, to permit close nesting of the washer and thenumeral wheel, and a manually rotatable shaft geared to said rotatableshaft for rotating the latter to return the numeral wheels to zeropositions.

2. In an odometer, a rotatable shaft, a numeral wheel rotatable on saidshaft, a drive gear rotatable on said shaft adjacent one face of thenumeral wheel, the said one face of the numeral wheel being recessed andprovided with notches, a thin washer positioned between the drive gearand the recessed face of the numeral wheel and having means cooperatingwth the notches therein for imparting rotation to the numeral wheel, theopposite face of the numeral wheel being provided with an abutment, awasher positioned adjacent the opposite side of the numeral Wheel andkeyed to said rotatable shaft, said washer having a spring fingerarranged for cooperation with the abutment for turning the numeral wheelto zero position when the rotatable shaft is rotated in a predetermineddirection, said abutment being recessed to provide accommodation for theresilient finger, to permit close nesting of its washer with the numeralwheel, and a manually actuated shaft geared to said rotatable shaft forrotating the latter to return the numeral Wheel to zero position.

SVEN AAMOT.

ARNT E. OLSEN.

